Lisa Butler When Lisa Butler joined the Ontario Public Service (OPS) in 2003, accessibility looked very different from what it does today. Over two decades later, she has experienced that shift from multiple vantage points, first as a new hire and now as a manager. Those experiences have given her a […]

By Lucky Mae Fornoles Lucky Mae Fornoles Superstition and disability in the Philippines are strongly interrelated because of the country’s traditional beliefs that often lead to stigma, neglect, and social exclusion of PWDs. These traditional Filipino beliefs are:  Disability is a punishment from God for the parents’ or a family member’s

Kimberly Hill Ridley When New York created the role of Chief Disability Officer in 2022 it placed disability policy where it had rarely lived before, inside the Governor’s executive chamber with direct access to every agency under state control. Wheelchair user, Kimberly Hill Ridley stepped into that role with decades of institutional

By Christine E. Staple Ebanks, The Special Needs Mama Bear The start of a new year invites me to pause and notice what matters most. It’s a quiet moment to reflect, to reset, and to ask what areas in my life need tending right now. Each January, I find myself returning

April Mitrik April Mitrik is the founder of Hard To Hear It, a community-driven platform focused on visibility, confidence and real-life support for people with hearing loss. Drawing from her own lived experience, Mitrik blends education, storytelling and community connection to challenge outdated perceptions of hearing loss and hearing aids, both

🌻 Happy New Year 2026 🌻 Angela Lynn It is hard to believe that 2025 has passed and that 2026 is already here, inviting us to live our everyday lives with greater intention. Before we talk about inclusion within any specific community, it is important to begin with everyone. Inclusion and

By Matthew “Matty” Medeiros Image courtesy of Crave.ca. Used for editorial purposes. Ok, so here we go. Every so often, a love story shows up on screen that feels like it was written for the people who have spent their lives feeling unseen. Heated Rivalry is one of those stories. The MASSIVE

By Thembelihle Ngcai There is a particular kind of panic that sweeps through your body when someone slips past your guard. Not the common panic of attraction, not the flirtatious dizziness people write songs about — a deeper panic. The kind that belongs to those of us who have had to

By Martin Block Parents with disabilities face a unique mix of opportunity and friction when starting a small business. You may be managing mobility limits, chronic pain, sensory differences, or cognitive fatigue—often while raising children and handling unpredictable schedules. The good news: many of today’s small-business models are flexible by design,